There are currently many devices on the market which facilitate the convenient carrying of an infant or a small child. Many of these devices employ a system of straps and harnesses to secure the child to an individual's front or back side. For example, some devices function as a backpack and carry the child in a seated or upright position on the back of the adult. In contrast, other devices carry the child on the front of the adult, such that the child is in an upright or seated position. When the child is positioned on the front side of the adult, the child can either face the adult or face away from the adult. Additionally, there are devices that are structured like slings to carry the child in a semi-upright position where in the child's body may be oriented in any number of positions relative to the adult.
An adult desiring to carry a child in one of these prior art devices during the winter must first put a jacket on themselves before donning whatever child carrying device they are employing. Because many of these child carrying devices employ straps of varying sizes that must be fitted to the individual, placing the child carrying device on over jackets or other colder weather clothing will require an adjustment of the child carrying device's straps. In addition to the adult having to put on a jacket prior to donning the child carrying device, the child must also put on warmer clothing. This can affect the fit of the child carrying device, which can require the adult to adjust the fitment of the device. Merely placing the child carrier device over the warmer clothing of the child and the adult can cause the device to compress the clothing and adversely impact the insulating qualities of the clothing. Alternatively, waterproof or water-resistant materials used as the outer layer may be compressed against the skin of the adult and the child, which can adversely impact the breathability of the garment.
Additionally, there are certain products that are designed to enclose both the adult and the child but which are cumbersome and difficult to put on or take off. For example, there are certain products that are similar to a pullover garment and simply have an opening for the adult's head and an opening for the child's head. Putting this device on requires that the adult guide the child's head through the opening at the same time as the adult is trying to guide their head through the opening, all while the adult is trying to guide their arms though the designated openings. This type of motion is prohibitively difficult when carrying a child in a child carrier, as the adult is not able to simultaneously place his or her arms through the device while at the same time guiding a child's head and their head into the bottom of the garment and through the opening. Some products attempted to solve this problem by designing a product that is open at the bottom and which does not have armholes. These products, which are similar to ponchos, are not closed at the bottom of the garment or on its sides. This design provides marginal protection from the elements, allows a large amount of heat to escape, and is cumbersome to wear. There are also products that are enclosed at the bottom but which have no armholes. These products, which can be analogized to a “body sock” with headholes for the adult and child, do not allow for the adult's arms to exit the device, thereby allowing for the device to be easily put on but severly limiting the range and type of activities in which the adult can take part.
Alternatively, there are products that employ one or more zip-in inserts to accommodate a device that accommodates the child's head. These devices are also difficult to use, as they require the adult to zip in the insert while the child is being carried by the adult. These devices are more costly to produce due to additional zipper materials. Moreover, these devices lose significant amounts of heat through the multiple zippers and the insert, if lost or misplaced, renders the device unusable as a child carrier cover. This device also has two zippers up the front of the device, an undesired attribute that not only makes it difficult to zip in the insert, but also places the rough surface of zippers near the sensitive skin of a child. The placement of zippers, hook and loop attachment surfaces, or other attachment mechanisms near a child's skin is undesirable as it can cause significant discomfort to the child. Finally, the zip-in insert design provides for a common hole through which the adult and child's heads must protrude. As there will need to be a certain amount of space between the adult and the child, this design also allows a great amount of heat to escape from the jacket or, if it is raining or snowing, allows the precipitation to fall on the inside of the device. These design flaws clearly detract from the present devices' effectiveness and marketability.
There is thus the need for a device that provides the protection and benefits of a jacket that encloses both the adult and the child but which is easy to put on and take off.